National Safe Work Month continues this week with a focus on For Health: What WHS Protects. The theme encourages businesses to look beyond immediate injuries and consider the broader physical and psychological health impacts that work can have on workers throughout their careers.
Many workplace hazards don’t cause immediate harm. Exposure to hazardous substances, silica dust, excessive noise, repetitive manual tasks, fatigue and psychosocial hazards can all contribute to significant health issues over time. Protecting workers’ health means identifying these risks early and implementing effective controls before harm occurs.
For construction businesses, this is an opportunity to review both physical and psychological health risks in the workplace. WorkSafe ACT is highlighting psychosocial hazards this week, including how poor work design, excessive workloads, workplace conflict and inadequate support can impact workers’ mental health and wellbeing.
Key actions for employers
Safety conversation starter
Ask your team:
‘What workplace hazard has the greatest potential to affect your long-term health, and what can we do to better manage the risk?’
Than together, come up with ways to mitigate this hazard.
The takeaway
The regulator’s message is simple: safe work is for life. Every action taken to manage physical and psychological health risks today helps protect workers’ health, wellbeing and future.
Master Builders ACT encourages members to use National Safe Work Month as an opportunity to engage workers in meaningful conversations about health risks and review whether existing controls remain fit for purpose. Small improvements made today can prevent injuries, illnesses and long-term harm tomorrow.
Find out more about National Safe Work month
If you have any questions or need further guidance, please don’t hesitate to contact our Advisory team:
📞 (02) 6175 5900
📧 workplace@mba.org.au
